Results of the experimental study of inclusive φ meson production off berillium nuclei by 70 GeV/c protons in the beam fragmentation region x > 0.41 are presented. Fitting of the measured differential cross sections to the forms dσdx ∼ (1 − x)nx and dσdp2t ∼ exp(−bp2t) gives the parameters n = 6.0 ± 1.7 and b = (2.4 ± 0.7) (GeV/c)−2. In the framework of a quark-parton model the measured φ meson x-distribution suggests that in the region of x > 0.41 nearly 90% of the φ mesons are produced via a strange sea quark fusion. The ratio of the OZI-forbidden and OZI-allowed transition coupling constants has been found to be ten times smaller than the same ratio calculated from the partial decay widths. The total inclusive cross section is estimated to be σ(pN → φX) = (0.7 ± 0.2) × 10−27 cm2.

The A-dependence of J/ψ inclusive production by 43 GeV/c π−-mesons was measured to be σ = (18 ± 6)A(0.92±0.06) nb/nucleus for x > 0.

The reaction π− + p → π− + π− + π+ + p at 25 GeV/c was studied in the mass region M3π ⩾ 1.8 GeV with leading π+. The mass spectrum of the π+π− system shows peaks corresponding to the ϱ0, f and g0 resonances and an enhancement around 1.9 GeV. Evidence is presented for a JP = 3+ s-wave g0π− state (A4) similar to the ϱ0π−(A1) and fπ− (A3) threshold enhancements.

Invariant mass spectrum of μ+μ− pairs produced by 70 GeV/c protons in Be target are presented. Distinct enhancements in the mass regions of ϱ, ω mesons, φ meson and J/ψ particle are observed. For J/ψ production x and p⊥2 distributions are given. The total cross section for the reaction p + Be → (Jψ → μ+μ−) + … is equal to 9.5 ± 2.5 nb/nucleus.

The paper presents the results on differential cross sections for elastic scattering of 7+-, K+-mesons and protons on protons in the 4-momentum transfer squared range 0·08 ≦¦t¦≦ ≦1·0 (GeV/c)2 and incident particle momentum of 29 and 43 GeV/c for pions and kaons and 29, 43, 50 and 65 GeV/c for protons. The measurements were taken with the spectrometer Sigma, installed in the positive beam of the IHEP accelerator.

The reaction K−p → K−π−π+p has been measured at 25 and 40 GeV/c at the Serpukhov Proton Accelerator. The production cross section at 25 and 40 GeV/c as a function of momentum transfer and Kππ mass is presented, and results of the partial-wave analysis of the Kππ system yielding information about Q(1300), K∗(1400) and L(1770) mesons are discussed.

The reaction pp→pπ−π+p has been studied at 25 and 40 GeV/c at the Serpukhov proton synchroton using the CERN-IHEP spectrometer. The differential cross section has been determined as a function of four-momentum transfer to the proton (0.05–0.30 (GeV/c)2) and pππ mass (up to 2.2 and 2.6 GeV/c2). At both energies there is a broad low-mass maximum with an enhancement at 1.6–1.8 GeV/c2. The cross section in a given mass band falls rapidly with |t|, with an exponential slope that decreases with increasing mass. In both the background and the 1.7 GeV/c2 peak there is a strong Δ−−π+ component. Possible spin-parity (JP) contributions to it are discussed. Throughout the range 1.5–2.2 GeV there is at least one state of J ⩾ 32 and there is interference between states of opposite P, |ΔJ| ⩽ 1. At the peak there is a J ⩾ 52 component. There are striking parallels between this reaction and the boson reactions π−p→π−π−π+p and K− → K−π−π+p.

Elastic diffraction scattering of π−, K− and pon protons has been measured at 25 and 40 GeV/c at the Serpukhov Proton Accelerator. Differential elastic cross sections and diffraction slopes are presented in the momentum-transfer interval 0.07–0.80 (GeV/c)2 and compared with existing data at lower energies.

The reaction K−p → XK−p has been investigated at pinc = 25 and 40 GeV/c using the CERN-IHEP boson spectrometer at the Serpukhov accelerator. Here we present missing-mass spectra and differential inelastic cross sections Δ2σ/Δt ΔM2 as a function of s, t, and M2 (XK−).

We have studied the ϱ− production cross sections in the channel π−p → π−π0p at incident momenta pinc = 25 and 40 GeV/c, with momentum transfer to the proton 0.18 ⩽ |t| ⩽ 0.32 (GeV/c)2. The momentum dependence of the total production cross section is found to be σ(ϱ−) ∞ pinc−1.87±0.09.

A sample of ∼ 70 000 fitted events of the reaction of π−p→π−π−π+p at 25 and 40 GeV/c has been obtained with the CERN-IHEP boson spectrometer at the Serpukhov accelerator. A partial-wave analysis shows that (i) A1 and A3 cannot be described by a Breit-Wigner amplitude, (ii) the A2 can be well described by a Breit-Wigner amplitude, (iii) although A1, A3 and A2 have different properties, the energy dependence of their production cross section is similar.